Jack Deveraux
| died = | age = | death cause = | occupation = Journalist | title = | residence = Salem Hotel | family = Johnson | parents = Duke Johnson Jo Johnson Harper Deveraux (adoptive) Camilla Deveraux (adoptive) | siblings = Steve Johnson Adrienne Johnson | spouse = Kayla Brady (1987–89) Eve Donovan (1991) Jennifer Horton (1991–93, 2003–11) | romances = Melissa Horton Laura Horton Eve Donovan | children = Abigail Deveraux J.J. Deveraux | grandchildren = Thomas Deveraux | grandparents = | aunts/uncles = Earl Johnson | nieces/nephews = Stephanie Johnson Joey Johnson Sonny Kiriakis Joey Kiriakis Victor Kiriakis, II | cousins = | relatives = | species = }} Jack Deveraux, Sr. is a fictional character on the American soap opera Days of Our Lives. Though played by a number of performers, he is most notably portrayed by Matthew Ashford who initially stepped into the role in October 1987. Character Conception Casting The character of Jack is first introduced on April 10, 1987 being portrayed by Joseph Adams. Adams last appeared as Jack on July 17, 1987. James Acheson briefly appeared as Jack from July 21 to October 26, 1987. Ashford steps into the role on October 30, 1987. Matthew Ashford departed from the role on October 12, 1993. For a brief period in 1994, the role was played by Steve Witmer before being the role was recast with actor, Mark Valley on October 28, 1994. Valley vacated the role in September 1997 and was replaced by Steve Wilder immediately after. Wilder departed from the role on June 5, 1998. Ashford reprises the role on February 6, 2001. Ashford departs from the series again on October 27, 2003. He returns in June 2004 and last appears on September 21, 2006. Ashford returns on June 22, 2004 and vacates the role of Jack on September 21, 2006. Ashford briefly returns from April 2 to April 4, 2007. Ashford returns to the series on a contractual basis on September 23, 2011. Characterization Charming, manipulative, heroic, clever, selfish, arrogant and self-loathing all at the same time, antihero Jack Deveraux is one half of Jack and Jennifer, one of Days of our Lives' most popular supercouples. Although he entered the story as an outright villain wedging himself violently in between another popular supercouple, Steve Johnson and Kayla Brady, Jack eventually grew to establish himself as a core main character in the Days mythos through his passion, outrageous sense of humor, redemption, and undying love for heroine Jennifer Horton. The character has been a frequent winner of Soap Opera Digest Awards, including Outstanding Villain, multiple wins for Best Love Story (with Jennifer), Best Wedding (also with Jennifer) and Outstanding Comic Performance. Backstory Jack Harcourt Deveraux grew up in Washington, D.C. and was raised by Senator Harper Deveraux and his second wife, Jack's stepmother, Anjelica Deveraux. He attended various private high schools (most of which he was expelled from) before graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Yale University where he studied law with the hopes of getting into politics like his father. He has been described by others as having an astronomical IQ and has alternately claimed to have been voted "Most Likely to Win an Oscar" and "Best Dressed" in school. He is left-handed, claustrophobic, and despite being mentioned several times as being an adept surfer is not a strong swimmer. Jack has a dark family history of rape. In addition to being a rapist himself, his father and father-in-law are also rapists and his wife, ex-wife and sister have all been raped. Both he and his father-in-law were eventually forgiven by those they had raped, and his father-in-law even ended up marrying his victim. Storylines References Category:Days of our Lives characters